Archives for April 2017

St. Lawrence and his attorney Michael Burke arrive for the first day of his trial. Photo: Ricky Flores/The Journal News

“Christopher St. Lawrence has arrived at court for his federal corruption trial, set to begin with jury selection this morning.

An estimated 60 potential jurors will pack the sixth-floor courtroom of U.S. District Court Judge Cathy Seibel, who will lead federal prosecutors and St. Lawrence’s attorneys in choosing 12 jurors and four alternatives. Lawyers have drafted dozens of questions for prospective jurors, including their feelings toward politicians, if they read or heard about the case or St. Lawrence, and if they had an opinion on the case. The jurors also will be asked where they live and if they can view the evidence without any bias. [Read more…]

The criminal trial will begin Wednesday, April 9, with jury selection. After that, St. Lawrence faces the 22 civil charges brought by the SEC in a second trial. Then after that, he is being personally sued by Melissa Reimer, and that trial is on hold until after the first two federal trials.

“After nearly 17 years of running Ramapo and decisively winning elections, Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence will stand alone when his federal trial is scheduled to open Wednesday, April 19, in White Plains with jury selection on an array of corruption charges that’s left the town gasping for financial breath.

The outcome could likely change the face of Rockland’s most divisive and diverse town, especially if the 66-year-old St. Lawrence of Wesley Hills is convicted and forced to resign. [Read more…]

“Fallout from the discovery that contaminated soil was left unattended in public locations for years has now expanded to include interviews by federal agents and a $2 million lawsuit against the town of Ramapo.

Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann, chairman of Rockland Sewer District No. 1, confirmed Wednesday the FBI spoke with Dianne Philipps, the executive director of the district, regarding an inter-municipal agreement the district entered into with Ramapo in 2012 to remove contaminated soil stockpiled in Sloatsburg and Hillburn. [Read more…]

Imagine this. Four guys break into your house, and lug out as much as they can carry. But not too long after, they are caught, and you’re feeling a little better because they’re all charged with multiple crimes.

Then, a short time after, you get a registered letter from the gang’s law firm informing you that the attorneys for these losers will be forwarding to you all the billable hours incurred in the effort to defend the four derelicts that robbed you. The tone of the letter is professional and polite, and the lawyers even offer the reassurance that you shouldn’t worry, this won’t cost you more than $150,000, that is, for the first year’s work. [Read more…]

By Legislator Charles FalcigliaPosted on www.RocklandVoice.com April 6

By now almost everyone is aware of the contaminated soil debacle involving Ramapo Supervisor, Chris St. Lawrence, and Rockland County Sewer District One. Sarah Wallace of NBC news certainly did her homework and brought the story to life with the exposure that only a major news network can provide. NBC Report #1and NBC Report #2.

Many people have posed numerous additional questions through social media that a report with the time constraints involved cannot elaborate on. Hopefully this article can provide some deeper additional background. [Read more…]

This letter was published by activist Naftuli Moster in The Journal News as a Community View, April 5.

When Deborah Wortham was appointed superintendent of East Ramapo in 2015, she was touted as a visionary leader who would bring desperately needed change to a district whose board stood accused of gutting public education to serve the interests of private religious schools.

What a tragedy, then, that Superintendent Wortham is not only not aiding but is actively impeding a change in East Ramapo schools that is urgently needed. Many, perhaps most, students in East Ramapo are receiving little or no instruction in math, English, science or social studies. I am referring not to the 8,000 students in public school but to the 20,000 who attend yeshivas. [Read more…]

Piles of dirt at Sloatsburg Community Field (Photo: John Meore/The Journal News)

“The chairman of the local sewer district raised serious questions over how the Town of Ramapo received a lucrative contract to remove contaminated soil for the district.

Clarkstown Supervisor George Hoehmann, who is also the chairman of the sewer district’s board, said Ramapo was never one of the original 11 bidders in 2011 for an $800,000 contract to remove four piles of contaminated soil in Sloatsburg and Hillburn. [Read more…]

“For the second time in a month, Rockland District Attorney’s Office detectives Tuesday seized business records from a village office, joined by FBI and investigators from the state comptroller’s office.

The records seizure, this time at the Spring Valley village treasurer’s office, is part of an unspecified criminal investigation and involved a court-approved warrant. [Read more…]

Former Rockland Legislature chairman says town must require smart, reasonable development that serves all.

“Developers have detailed their vision for the former Minisceongo Golf Course property, a proposal for a vast overdevelopment in a quiet community that is a microcosm of just what is wrong with development in the Town of Ramapo.

Current zoning allows one single-family residence on 1.15 acres. Since the property is about 140 acres, the developer would be entitled to build 122 houses. If there is any unbuildable land on the property, this number should be reduced. [Read more…]